Healing Continued
by MysteryFan15
Summary: Set in the universe of "Thawing and Healing Winter". Short tags and standalone stories featuring mostly Bucky and Steve. The rest of the gang will make filter in and out as well.
1. Chapter 1

**I've begun writing a few tags for my story Thawing and Healing Winter. It isn't completely necessary to read that before you read these, but it might help. Some of these might be a little more light-hearted than the story. That's my plan anyway. Various lengths, featuring various characters. Enjoy!**

**As always I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read and let me know what you think!**

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**This story is immediately after the last chapter in Thawing and Healing Winter and before the Epilogue.**

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Bruce walked into the kitchen, looking for Bucky and Steve. He wanted to check up on how Bucky was doing before he left the tower for some research he was planning. He was pleased to see Bucky out of bed, but less pleased to see Steve pour two cups of coffee and slide one toward the other man.

Bruce swooped in and, risking life and limb, grabbed it before Bucky could.

"No coffee." He said firmly.

Steve's mouth fell open as Bucky glared daggers and looked to be barley avoiding reaching for an actual dagger.

"You're still recovering, you need to rehydrate and rest. Coffee won't help you do that." Bruce said unfazed.

Steve was watching Bucky but addressed Bruce. "No coffee?"

Bucky's eyes were bouncing between Bruce and his coffee cup in Bruce's hand. He was starting to look a little panicked. His mouth opening and closing a little. "No coffee?" He echoed.

Bruce almost took pity. He wavered. "Give it a couple of days. And you need to be drinking lots of fluids."

Bucky's eyes narrowed. "Fluids?"

"Water, clear juice, broth."

"No coffee." Bucky said sadly, slumping down in his seat.

"It'll be ok Buck." Steve jumped in with encouragement. "You can make it a few days. I won't drink any coffee either." He took Bucky's cup from Bruce's hand and walked both cups to the sink. The fresh pot soon followed.

Watching the liquid go down the drain only made Bucky look more dismayed.

"Sorry," Bruce said sincerely, "I came to check on you two, see how you were doing."

"Fine, till you came and took away my coffee." Bucky grumbled.

"I'm sure." Bruce smiled. He checked Bucky over, pronouncing him on the mend. "You look like you need to rest more. Do that, get plenty of fluids and eat what you can."

"I make sure he eats." Steve chimed in.

"Good, take care. I'll be out of town for a few days but there shouldn't be any problems. Call me if you need anything." With that he gathered his bag and walked out.

He heard Steve talking to Bucky as he left.

"They make coffee flavored candy and ice cream. We'll see if we can get some of that."

He couldn't make out Bucky's reply but he could tell he still wasn't pacified. Still he wasn't worried about leaving. He wouldn't be around to check up but he was confident that, when it came to Bucky's health, Steve would make sure the instructions were followed to the letter.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm sorry this has taken so long. I've had the most horrible case of writers block. It's breaking my heart. :(**

**This chapter details a meeting between Bucky and Natasha mentioned in the Epilogue of my story Thawing and Healing Winter. Enjoy and I will try to have the next one up faster. Fingers crossed that that I don't get blocked again.  
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Bucky's acceptance of Natasha came quicker than Steve expected. She walked in the kitchen one morning while they were eating breakfast.

"Hey," Steve smiled at her as he passed a bowl of fruit to Bucky. "I'm surprised you're still here."

"I won't be long. I'm tying up some loose ends in the city before I make my exit." She looked past Steve to smile at Bucky who gazed back guarded, but not entirely unfriendly.

"Well," Steve continued. "I'm glad you stopped by. I wanted to say thank you again. I don't know how this would have turned out without you." He glanced back at Bucky as he spoke.

"Anytime, Rogers." She hesitated. "I actually came by to see if I could talk to Barnes."

"Umm…" Steve's head swiveled back toward Bucky, whose eyes had narrowed.

Natasha smiled disarmingly at Steve when he looked back at her. "Just for a few minutes…alone."

Bucky was looking at her with a look she couldn't quite decipher. Steve looked torn.

"I'm really not sure that's a good idea, Nat. We-."

"It's fine." Bucky interrupted.

Steve studied him. "Are you sure?"

One short nod. "Yes."

"Ok," Steve nodded too. "Ok, I'll just… I'll be… I'll go back to the room for a bit."

Natasha almost smirked. This might be harder on Steve than Bucky. She walked closer and gestured to a chair near Bucky. "May I sit?"

He nodded. For a moment they sat in silence, just staring at each other.

"Do you prefer Russian or English?" She asked.

He shrugged. "English."

She nodded and looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking.

"You don't trust me."

The corners of in his lips turned up in mirthless smile. "I doubt you trust me either."

She smirked right back and then grew serious. "Steve does." She said simply

Bucky's smile faltered and he blinked looking down. "Yeah, he does." He said quietly.

Natasha twirled the silverware in front of her as slowly began speaking.

"When we found out HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D... It was the last thing I expected. I thought I had finally been working for the right side." She stared off in the distance. "But I wasn't. I'd just traded the KGB for HYDRA." She snorted. "I didn't know who I could trust and who I couldn't. Anybody could be HYDRA. Anybody but Steve."

Bucky was gazing at her steadily, watching something melt in her eyes.

"He said he trusted me." She said quietly, almost to herself. Then she laughed softly. "When I first met Steve, I thought he was too old fashioned for this cut-throat world, too trusting. When he found you I thought he was blinded by what he wanted to see. He wanted things with the two of you to be the way it was and I thought that was clouding his judgment."

"I don't know that you're wrong about that." Bucky said quietly.

"I was." She said simply. "One thing I've learned is that Steve is not just a stand-up guy. He inspires the best in people, but he's not naïve. He doesn't trust blindly. His respect is earned."

Bucky nodded, his throat tight.

"As I said, Steve trusts you. And I trust him."

He looked at her and his eyes narrowed. She smiled.

"I'm not saying I'm ready to go on a mission with you, but I'm prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt."

After a moment he nodded. "Thank you." He said surprised to find he meant it.

"I have to go. I'm glad we talked." She said standing up.

"Where do I know you? Did we meet before?" He asked abruptly. She didn't question what he meant and he appreciated that they didn't have to play games.

"Odessa. Nuclear scientist."

"I killed him?"

"Yes."

Bucky nodded resignedly.

"Things in the past…we can't change them. Believe me, I would do anything sometimes-." She broke off and Bucky saw the sadness in her face. "We can sometimes stop those things from happening to others."

Bucky took in a shaky breath and looked down to find him metal hand clenched in a fist. The Black Widow let her hand rest briefly on his shoulder as she headed for the door.

"I better say my goodbyes to Steve. Take care, Barnes." A ghost of a smile crossed her face before she was gone.

Bucky let out a breath and slowly unclenched his fist. 

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**I hope you enjoyed it. Again hopefully I won't get writers block before I can get the next one out. Thanks for reading!**


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